Center for Intentional LeadershipThe Center for Intentional Leadership specializes in leadership development, culture development and team development. We believe that the most common organizational challenges are culture and leadership related and that increased performance takes a comprehensive, people-centered, approach.

What’s Your ‘Primary Purpose’?

We all have a sense of our true purpose. As leaders, we can easily be pulled away from this and get distracted by “running the business.” As business owners, our attention can shift from providing value for our clients/customers to being concerned about the survival of the business. This can easily impact our sense of satisfaction and fulfillment related to running a company.

As most seasoned business owners know, the primary purpose of a business is NOT TO MAKE MONEY.

Note that I said the “primary” purpose is not to make money. Making money is a by-product of the primary purpose. So what is the primary purpose of your business?

The primary purpose is bringing value to your customer/client. If this is done well and consistently, then money will follow naturally. You know you are doing your job, and providing great value when your clients continue to pay you. If people are not paying, you are not providing value.

People can miss this simple concept because they get fearful when business begins to drop off, and they slip into “survival mode.” Survival mode clouds judgment and the focus becomes “getting more business,” instead of what fuels the business in the first place.

The first step in renewal of purpose is in recognizing when you have fallen into this condition. A few warning signs include:
o being regularly worried and concerned.
o working much longer than usual.
o having trouble enjoying the moment.
o being less optimistic and positive with your employees.
o finding your interest in the business waning.

Getting out of this state requires an intentional commitment to rediscover your primary purpose. Ask yourself why you started the business. What were you passionate about? What contribution did you want to make?

Sometimes, being an entrepreneur and business owner can be a lonely experience. We often keep things to ourselves, managing our thoughts and fears alone. This can lead to more isolation and delay breakthroughs. Often, talking through our situation with an outside confidant and good listener will make a huge difference. By opening up and sharing our concerns, we can often gain a distance from these concerns and see them in a different light.

This allows us to get back in touch with our primary purpose, being of service to others. Being of service to others leads to business development, which leads to making more money, the by-product of our primary intention.

— written by Mike Whitehead, as published by Greater Charlotte Biz Mag

About Us

The Center for Intentional Leadership® is a committed group of strategic advisors, consultants and executive coaches. Formerly known as Whitehead Associates Inc., our consultants develop leaders, teams and cultures to perform consistently with the vision, values and desired outcomes of your organization.